Salvia plant named ‘Flosalg04’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Salvia  plant named ‘Flosalg04’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; and dark pink-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Salvia greggii.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Flosalg04’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salvia, botanically known as Salvia greggii and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Flosalg04’.

The new Salvia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Gauteng, South Africa. The objective of the program is to create and develop new compact Salvia cultivars with a long and freely flowering habit.

The new Salvia originated from a cross-pollination by the Inventor in January, 2000 of a proprietary selection of Salvia greggii identified as code number SG7287, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Salvia greggii identified as code number SG7761, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Salvia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Gauteng, South Africa in October, 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative cuttings in Gauteng, South Africa since April, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Salvia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Flosalg04 have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Flosalg04’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Flosalg04’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Long flowering period.     -   5. Dark pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Salvia differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia are taller than plants of the female         parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Salvia are not as freely branching as         plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Salvia and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Salvia differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia are shorter than plants of the male         parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Salvia are more freely branching than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Salvia and the male parent selection differ         in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have         purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Salvia can be compared to plants of the cultivar Navaho Salmon Red, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Lompoc, Calif., plants of the new Salvia differed from plants of the cultivar Navaho Salmon Red in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Salvia were more compact than plants of the         cultivar Navaho Salmon Red.     -   2. Plants of the new Salvia were more freely branching than         plants of the cultivar Navaho Salmon Red.     -   3. Plants of the new Salvia flowered for a longer period of time         than plants of the cultivar Navaho Salmon Red.     -   4. Plants of the new Salvia and the cultivar Navaho Salmon Red         differed in flower color as plants of the cultivar Navaho Salmon         Red had salmon red-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Salvia.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Flosalg04’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Flosalg04’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following description were grown under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the winter and spring in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse in Lompoc, Calif. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 21° C. to 24° C., night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranged from 4,000 to 8,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time about four weeks after planting. Plants used for the photographs and description were about 18 weeks old.

-   Botanical classification: Salvia greggii cultivar Flosalg04. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Salvia             greggii identified as code number SG7287, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Salvia             greggii identified as code number SG7761, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 12 to 15 days at 22°             C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 12 to 18 days at 22°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 to 40             days at 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 35 to 45             days at 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Herbaceous perennial subshrub. Upright plant form;             inverted triangle. Freely branching habit with about five             main stems; pinching enhances branch development; vigorous             growth habit. Flowers arranged in verticillasters on spikes.         -   Plant height.—About 32 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 29 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 28 cm. Diameter:             About 2.5 mm. Internode length: About 2.5 cm to 3 cm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Young             stems with minute pubescence; mature stems, woody and             glabrous. Color, young stems: Close to 146B. Color, mature             stems: Close to 199A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.1 cm.         -   Width.—About 1 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Broadly acute to nearly rounded.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Darker than 138A.             Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 139C. Fully             expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 147A; venation,             close to 144A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 144A.         -   Petiole length.—About 1.1 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 1 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single bilabiate flowers             arranged in verticillasters on spikes; flowers face mostly             outwardly. Freely flowering habit, about 30 flowers per             inflorescence.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering from spring             through summer to central California. Flower longevity on             the plant: About four to five days; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.             Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to 74C.         -   Inflorescence size.—Length: About 8 cm. Diameter: About 3.8             cm.         -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 1.6 cm by 2.1 cm. Depth (height):             About 2.8 cm.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five; upper two fused in an upper             banner lip and lower three fused in a lower protruding lip;             all five fused at the base. Shape, upper lip: Elongate with             acute apex and entire margin. Shape, lower lip: Rounded with             rounded apex and entire margin. Length, upper lip: About             1 cm. Length, lower lip: About 1.5 cm. Width, upper lip:             About 4 mm. Width, lower lip: About 1.6 cm. Texture, upper             lip, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Texture, lower             lip, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower lips: When opening, upper surface: Close to             54B. When opening, lower surface: Close to 54C to 54D. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close 54A; color becoming closer to             66D with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to             73C to 73D. Throat: Close to 56C. Tube: Close to 73C to 73D.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Three fused into a tube. Shape:             Elliptic with acute apex and entire margin. Length: About             5 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Texture, inner surface: Smooth,             glabrous. Texture, outer surface: Pubescent. Color, when             opening and fully opened, inner surface: Close to 146D.             Color, when opening and fully opened, outer surface: Close             to 146C; towards the apex, 199A.         -   Peduncles.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 4 cm. Diameter:             About 1.5 mm. Aspect: Erect. Texture: Pubescent. Color:             Close to 146B.         -   Pedicels.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 2 mm. Diameter:             About 1 mm. Aspect: About 15° from peduncle axis. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Two.             Anther shape: Oval, elongated. Anther length: About 2 mm.             Anther color: Close to 23B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 23A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 2.9 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma             color: Close to 73B. Style length: About 2.2 cm. Style             color: Close to 69C. Ovary color: Close to 150C.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Salvia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Salvia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Salvia have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate     temperatures from about 4° C. to about 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Salvia plant named ‘Flosalg04’ as illustrated and described. 